Last Updated on 1 hour ago by Charbel Coorey
Stuart Broad expects England to win the three-match Test series against Pakistan quite comfortably.
England have had a difficult 12 months, but the former pace bowler believes the hosts should be too good for a Pakistan side that has struggled for success in recent years. Their only Test series win since the start of 2024 has been against England, but they are facing conditions very different to the sharp turners of Rawalpindi and Multan.
England should beat Pakistan 3-0 – Stuart Broad
Speaking on For The Love of Cricket Podcast, Broad spoke about some of the good players Pakistan have in their team, but was quite forthright about their standing as a team.
“Yes, they’ve still got Babar Azam. They’ve got Mohammad Abbas, who’s come back into the side, who’s 36. But they’re a poor side. They’re not really a good side,” he said.
“You would imagine and you would think that England should win 3-0 and pretty comfortably,” Broad added.
The first day at Headingley went according to plan for England. In Joe Root’s return as full-time captain, Ollie Robinson (5/51) and Josh Tongue (5/46) were the stars on a pitch offering seam movement. For Pakistan, only Imam-ul-Haq (42) and Abdullah Shafique (61) offered any meaningful resistance as the pair took the visitors to 97/2.
From there, it was a procession as Pakistan were bundled out for 171 in 48.1 overs, with Babar Azam’s absence felt on a tough day. The captain played a key role in Pakistan’s victory in their last Test against West Indies.
England will start day two on 112/2, trailing by just 59 runs. Joe Root (37* off 53 balls) and Jordan Cox (23* off 38 balls) finished day one unbeaten against a Pakistan attack that struggled for consistency.
